Air or gas compressing system



-Jung: 11, 1929. s. s. REDFIELD AIR 0R GAS COMPRESSING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 11, 1926 wwwm IN V EN TOR.

S. REDFIELD AIR 0R GAS COMPRESSING SYSTEM June 11, 1929.

Filed March 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 izw INVENTOR.

H15 ATTNEY.

Patented June 11, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

sNownEN IB. REDFIELD, F EASTON, rENNsYLvANIe, ASSIGNOR TO INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, OF JERsEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A coRPoRA'rIoN 0E NEW- JERSEY.

AIR OR GAS COMPRESSING SYSTEM.

I Application filed March 11, 1926. Serial No. 93,923.

This invention relates to return system well pumps, more especially for deep wells. Either air or gas may be used as the pressure fiuid in the pumping system.

The objects of the invention are to enable a compressor and two tanks in the well having main well pipes and a common discharge pipe to be automatically controlled in such manner that one main pipe is alternately connected to the compressor d 1scharge and the other to the compressor 1nlet and vice versa, so that the well tanks are alternately discharged and exhausted for pumping out the well. The mam well ipes thus form combined supply and exiiaust pipes for the well tanks and when one tank is being discharged the other 1s being exhausted for filling purposes. v

Further objects are to enable these operations to be carried out without leakage of pressure fluid to a point of lower pressure or to atmosphere in the connections and controlling devices. between the compressor and the well and preferably by means. of av pressure actuated reversing valve and control valve controlling the reversing valve, responsive to predetermined compressor d18- charge pressure and to pressure on the suction side of the compressor, WhlCh may be sure and the minimum suction pressure selected for the operation of the system. By this means a time interval 1s allowed to elapse after one tank is discharged for permitting the filling of the tank before the next discharge. If a full well is being pumped, this time interval will be as short as necessary for practlcally continuous operation.

The invention is shown in one ofits preferred forms in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammat1c v1ew of the system having some of the devices in vert cal section,

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of the reversing valve with the parts in a differentposition, I

Figure?) is a detall sect onal View of one valve member of the reversing valve, and

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of one connecting rod assembly of the control valve which controls the reversing valve.

Referring to the drawing, the well prefthe maximum compressor discharge preserably provided with the casing A, has two tanks or traps B and C located at any de-v sired height therein, but in this instance shown atthe bottom of the well. These tanks may, as shown for purposes of illustration, have a common discharge pipe D leading to the surface controlled by the tank valves E and F a'ndG and H so that when one tank B is discharging to the discharge p1pe- D, the other tank C is filling with liquid from the well and Vice versa. The 5 tanks B and C are provided with main combined pressure fluid; supply and exhaust pipes J and K' respectively adapted to be connected to the discharge of the compressor L by the pipe 0 and to theinlet of the compressor L by the pipe P. A reversing valve mechanism or a reversing switch Q automatically controls the alternate connection of the pipes J and K to the discharge and intake of the compressor. The compressor discharge valves are indicated at R and the inlet valves at S. A control valve mechanism T responsive to predetermined compressor discharge or suction pressure, preferably maximum compressor discharge pressure or minimum suction pressure, controls the operation of the reversing valve mecha nism Q.

The reversing valve mechanism includes the two cup valves Uand the two cup valves V which are actuated in this instance by compressor discharge pressure, the supply and exhaust of which to and from the backs of the alves U and V is regulated by the control valve mechanism T. An air or gas induction valve W which may be any suitable type of check valve is connected by the pipe X to the point Y on the pipe? lead: ing to'the intake of the compressor for make-up purposes under certain conditions. The induction valve will be connected to a pressure fluid reservoir (not shown).

.The piping of the system comprises essentially the following: a compressor sue tion P and a compressor discharge 0', each connected between the compressor and the reversing switch mechanism Q; two pipes J and K to carry fluid pressure down the well and to exhaust therefrom, through the reversing valve mechanism Q, and at least one pipe'D to carry the oil or. liquid out-of. the well; a pipe Z connected from the co pressor'discharge pipe O at the point and through an auxiliary valve 6 and thence through the cylinder head a of the cylinder d of the control valve mechanism T; pipes e and f from the pipe Z to the two ball valve casings g and h respectively of the control valve nechanism T and pipes j and is from ball valve casings g and h to the pairs of reversing cup valves V and U respectively; and a pipe 0 from the suction line P of the compressor to the point p of the control valve cylinder d opposite the cylinder head 0.

The piston g in the control valve cylinder (1 actuates mechanism operatively connected to operate the ball valves 1-, s, t and a which control the supply and exhaust of compressor discharge pressure to and from the backs of the reversing cup valves V- and U in a manner to be described. When thev pressure inside the valve guide 22 of a reversingcup valve U or V is equal to the pressure lurrounding the valve, the valve spring w holds the valve to its seat. When the pressure inside the valve guide 1) is exhausted to lower pressure or to atmosphere through one or the other of the vents a? in the ball valve casings g and k, the pressure surrounding the cup valve acting on the overhanging lip or shoulder y near the outer end of the valve causes the valve to actuate and open. Opening and closin of these valves U and V, in

airs, causes t e reversal of the mechanism. he pressure area of the shoulder 1/ (Figure 2) of the valve U is larger than the opposed pressure area of the rim or annular baseof the valve, and hence the valve willbe opened and held open by pressure above atmosphere outside the valve, when the pressure insid the valve is vented to atmosphere. The

spring w is not of suflicient stren h to cause the valve to close untilj assisted inside the valve. I

With the parts of the reversing valve mechanism Q, in the position shown in Figure 1, the valves U are open and the valves V 'are closed so that the compressor is discharging down the well pipe J, and is drawing air or gas up the well pipe K. In Figy pressure ure 2, the reversing valve mechanism is shown with the valves U closed and the valves V opened after reversal and the compressor is discharging down the well pipe K and the well pipe J becomes the suction pipe. One importantf ature, among others, of this reversing valve b, resides in the fact that there is no leakage which is particularly desirable in a high. ressure system such as the one that forms t e subject matter of the resent invention. When the valves U and are on their seats, the pressure inside and outside of the valve is the same so that there is no leakage. When a valve is moved from its seat, the inside of the valve cup at the point a, Figure 3', forms a ground joint with same for the four valves whether open or shut, and in addition'they are contained in a hermetically sealed casing.

The control valve mechanism T is also constructed without leaks partly because ball valves 7", s, t and u are used. Each pair of ball valves 1', s, and t, u are moved by plungers 2 and pins 2 actuated by connect.- ing rods 3 connected to cranks, eccentrics or cams 4 on the shaft 5, which shaft is actuated by the rack 6 on the piston rod 7 of the piston gcooperating with the pinion 8 loose upon the shaft 5. A ratchet and pawl mechanism 9 and 10 between the pinion 8 and the shaft 5 transmits power to the shaft in one direction. The cranks 4 are set oppositely as indicated in the drawing and in Figure 1 the ball valves 1" and w are removed from their seats while the ball valves 8 and t are pressed to their seats. In this position of the valves pressure fluid is supplied tothe reversing cup valves V for holding them closed while the backs of the cup valves. U are exhausted of pressure. One half revolution of the shaft'5 causes the reversal of the positions of the ball valves which causes reversal of the positions of the on valves U and V as indicated in Figure 2 t us reversing the flow of pressure fluid between the compressor and the well.

In the operation of the system, the discharge pressure of the compressor will continue to rise until the liquid level falls in the bottom of one well tank or the other, substantially to the bottom of the tank. The "auxiliary valve 6 operating in connection with the control cylinder 0 is set so that at is operated as described. The pressure throughout the system will then be equalized which will cause the auxiliary valve 1) to open the cylinder 0? to lower pressure or to atmosphere. The opposite end of'the cylinderd is subject to pressure from the suction side of the compressor from the pipe 0 which is at some equalized intermittent pressure below the maximum and this pressure will cause the control piston g to-move rearwardly, but the ratchet and pawl mechanism 9 and 10 is so arranged that the shaft 5 is not rotated and the reversing valve mechanism will be unaffected. The pressure on the discharge side of the compressor will begin to build up and the pressure on the suction side will fall. When the dischargepressure has again reached its maximum for which the auxiliary valve bis set, said valve will again admit pressure fluid to the cylinder d causing reversal of the positions of the ball valves for the next operation of the reversing valve mechanism Q. At this particular bers 15 and 16 and of thecompressor 1s conn set to o time in the cycle it is to be-understood that the pressure in the opposite end of the cylinder d. is at a minimum approximating atmospheric pressure so that there is no resist ance to the forward movement of the piston 9 except the tension of the spring 11. This spring I1 is to prevent the piston from being moved forwardly .as the suction side of-the entire'system falls below' atnios here or to about the lowpressure in the ex aust side. The spring 11 is sufliciently strong to resist the tendency to suck the piston g' forward, but not strong enough to hold back the movement of the piston g when subjected to maximum discharge pressure behind the piston.

In order that the lower ball valves 8 and u of each pair may come to their seats when actuatedby the connecting rods and to make allowance for mechanical inaccuracy, each connecting rod is provided with'a compression element as shown in detail in Figure 4 in the form of a sliding joint 12 and spring 13 between the connecting rod members 15 and 16. Pins 17 loosely connect the memermit a lost motion connection as indicate in Figure 4. By means .of this construction the ball valves 8 and it become seated before the cranks reach dead center and when fully seated, the springs 13 are compressed. v

The auxiliary valve closed in U. S. Patent N 0. 1,138 78, ante'd May 4, 1915, to J H. Castle an W. Rogers which is so constructed that the valveoperates to admit a certain predetermined pressure to a regulating mechanism such as the control valve cylinder,'until'the pressure falls to a certain amount below that required to o erate the regulating -mechanism, in whic position, allowing'the regulating mechanism to exhaust to some lower pressure, such as atmospheric pressure. I have merel indicated the valve chest b, the adj-ust'ab e plug 14 and the spring clip 28, corresponding to similar parts similarly numbered insaid patent. 'As stated, the auxiliary valve 1) is ate with the maximum compressor disc arge pressure at which point it will open co ecti'on to the control valve cylinder d, while at other times said control valve cylinder is vented to lower pressure or to atmosphere. F In -tl 1e. operation of the system with the parts inthe position indicated in Figure 1,. the compressor is discharging into the well tank B for evacuating said tank through *the surface discharge pipe D and the mtake ected to the well pipe .K so that air or gas is bein'gdrawn from thewell-tank C which is in the act of filling. This, condition will continue until maximum compressor discharge pressure is b may be of any suit-- 7 able type, but is preferably like that dis case the. valvereturns. to its original reached at which oint the auxiliary'valve b will be actuate to supply pressure to the control valve cylinder 0! and theforward movement of the piston g will reverse the positions of the ball valves which in turn will cause reversal of positions of the two pairs of reversing valves U and V. These reversing valves will assume the position indicated-in Figure 2 and the compressor will discharge down the well pipe K to the tank 0 and will suck air or gas fromthe well tank B through the well pipe J, which is then connected to the compressor intake. This cycle of operations of ultimate fillin and discharging of the well tanks B an C will continue. i

I claim:

1. In a pressurefluid compressing system, the combination of-a compressor and main combined pressure fluid supply and suction pipes leading from the compressor, a pressure fluid actuated automatic reversing valve to the reversing mechanism, and mechanical means operated by the said co'ntrol'valve pisten for actuating said double valves, whereby one main pipe of the system is automatically and alternately connected to the compress dischar e andthe otherto the com pressor inlet an vice versa.

2. In a pressure fluid compressing system, the combination. of a compressor and main combined pressure fluid supply and suction pipes leading from the compressor, a pressure fluid actuated automatic' reversing valve mechanism interposed 1n said mam suppl and suction pipes, comprising a cas-- ing, our valves insaid casing ada ted to be 'actuated in pairs for alternate y connecting one main' pipe to the compressor discharge and the other to the compressor in-' let and vice versa, said reversing valves be ing controlled by alternations of dischar ressure and lower pressure exerted on their ache, and acontrol valve mechanism controllin the-pressure exerted on the backs of sai reversing valves, and consisting of a main fluid actuated piston and valves actuated thereby interposed in the ressure fluid connections leading to the bee of the, re versing valves.

specification.

' SNOWDEN B., REDFIELD In testimony whereof I have signed this. 

